We won’t
be beaten on price!
We guarantee not to be beaten
on price for any item we stock. If
you see it cheaper elsewhere we’ll
match the price, and if you find it
cheaper within 7 days of purchase
we’ll refund the difference! Contact
our sales team or bring details of
the offer in-store.

Try any bike
before you buy it
The best way to buy a bike is to
try it out for yourself, ensuring the
right fit and a comfortable ride. We
offer a FREE test ride facility from
our stores for anyone considering
purchasing a new bike.

3 ways to shop
Free delivery
on all uk orders
Let us take the hassle out of
getting your bike or bulky purchase
home when you purchase in-store.
Free UK delivery available on all
mail order purchases too!

ome
Weltocspring
hat with the snow and never-ending cold weather
it felt like spring would never arrive! If you were one
of the brave ones that kept riding during the bad
weather, welcome to the brother (or sister) hood!
This is the first edition of Ride It! for 2010. We are
evolving the look and feel of the catalogue to make it really relevant
to your type of riding. For Spring we are talking about ‘Committing
to the Commute’ - whether its 2 miles or 20 miles, it’s better by bike.
In ‘Bitten by the Bug’ we speak to a customer who has recently
upgraded his bike - switching from a 2 year old steel framed hardtail
with pretty basic front suspension to a full-sus Specialized Epic FSR...

“As usual, the catalogue
is packed with great new
product for spring 2010
and loads of other tips...”
now that’s an upgrade! For the roadies amongst you, ‘Going the
Distance’ helps you get ready for your next challenge. The 6 week
training plan will help you get through all but the toughest of sportives,
no matter what level you’re starting from.
As usual, the catalogue is packed with great new product for spring
2010 and loads of other tips to make your riding just that little bit
better. So all we can say is get out and ride!

:

The team at Evans Cycles

Contents
Commute

4-19

Road

20-33

Mountain

36-49

Committing to the commute

4

What type of commuter are you?

Going the distance

20

Get ready for your next road challenge

Bitten by the bug?

36

Richard Warren tells us his MTB story

Packing clever 16 || Get fit in 6 weeks 28 || A day out on the trails 44

04 Spring 2010 / Commute

www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

Riding to work puts money
in your pocket, years on your
life’ and takes inches off your
waist… all you need is a bike
hat good things have you promised
yourself in 2010? A hefty pay rise?
Escape from the daily traffic jam or
that overcrowded bus, train or tube?
Maybe you’d like to give yourself a fitter,
healthier body without having to spend
hours in the gym or cutting down on
your favourite foods? Or do you want to do your bit to help save
the planet? Or maybe you just want it all?
Well your luck is in because all these good things come to those
that commute by bike – and it’s never too late to start. Whatever
level of cycling experience you have commuting will save you
money and make you fitter and healthier too – although you
may end up spending slightly more on cake! Committing to the
commute will give you the freedom of the city and the extra cash
to enjoy it.
Over the next few pages we will give you all the information you
need to commit to the commute, we’ll take a closer look at all the
reasons to do it and at some of the things that might be putting
you off.

Pounds, shillings and pence…

First, let’s talk cash. A monthly four zone travelcard in London
will set you back £141.40, times that by 12 and you’re spending
£1696.80 for the privilege of being crammed on to a bus or tube,
if you live further out you’ll be paying more. It’s the same story
whatever part of the country you live in. If anything it’s even more
expensive to drive what with constantly rising fuel prices and the
cost of parking… not to mention the congestion charge for those
unlucky enough to have to drive in to central London.
Jump on a bike though and even after you’ve paid for the bike
you will still be saving a big chunk of cash. It’s like giving yourself
a pay rise. Better still, if your employer operates a ride to work
scheme under the Government’s Cycle to Work Initiative you will
get a tax break on the purchase price of the bike. You’ll be able
to spread the cost of payments out over a year, saving you even
more money and allowing you to buy a bike and the necessary
equipment to get you started as a cycle commuter, up to a value
of £1000. If your employer doesn’t have a ride to work scheme
turn to page 18 for all the information you, and they, will need to
help them set one up. So committing to the commute makes
sense for your wallet, just as importantly it also makes sense for
your health. Cycling, even at a fairly moderate pace, is extremely
good cardio vascular exercise.
Good enough to make you
younger - in studies regular
cyclists have been found to have
bodies that are 10 years younger
than their actual age.

Urbanite
Folder

Speedster

Urbanite
No surprise then that the average cyclist lives 10 years longer
than the general population. They are healthier and more active
further in to old age than non-cyclists. Even allowing for the extra
cakes they are thinner than non-cyclists as well and the health
benefits don’t end there. Getting the old blood pumping in the

“...the average cyclist lives
10 years longer than the
general population.”
morning is good for your brain – cyclists score highly in cognitive
function tests, which means you’ll get to work bright and alert
unlike colleagues who’ve spent an hour on a stuffy tube or
breathing in the exhaust fumes from the car in front. Finally, the
ride home is an excellent way of de-stressing after a busy day.

No sweat cycling

So what’s holding you back? Afraid of turning up for work hot and
sweaty? Fear not, the average commuting distance in the UK is
just over 8 miles and the average commuting time is 58 minutes,
most people could ride that distance in that time without breaking
sweat at all. If your commute is longer, get a folding bike and take
it part way in the boot of your car or on the bus or train. Ride the
rest from a manageable distance - you’ll still save money and get
all those health benefits.
If you are more of speedster and want to put the hammer down
on the way to work, well there are plenty of ways of doing that too
without becoming an office biohazard (we talk more about that on
page 16). Many employers are installing showers in the workplace
and the Government, through its new Cycle to Work Guarantee, is
keen to encourage even more to do so. It’s all part of their bid to
reduce the number of car journeys in the UK to cut congestion

Nick Webb / 35 / Streatham
I ride my bike from home to work pretty much
every day. It’s just over 5 miles each way but I also
use my bike around town, going to meetings or
seeing clients - quicker than the bus and cheaper
than a cab. I’m not into the whole ‘lycra’ thing,
though I understand how practical it must be for
longer rides. I like to wear clothes that I can ride
about in but don’t look out of place in my everyday
wardrobe.

Trek Soho ‘10 (127749)

£799.99

Scott Sub 30 Solution ‘10 (128597)

£549.99

www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

Lucinda Wright / 27 / Windsor
I wish I did have a longer ride but Windsor
to London is a bit too much. I ride from
my house to the station which means
I never miss the bus or end up cursing
when they don’t turn up! My folding bike
allows me to take the train which you
can’t always do with ‘ordinary’ bikes
(something they really need to address)
and then at the other end its about a
10-15 minute ride to work. I just wear my work clothes but I tried
these Bontrager cycling shoes and they were really comfy and a
bit more practical. I love my bspoke jacket as it has great cycling
features and looks really nice too.

Charlie Cole / 26 / South Woodford
I love riding my bike into Central London every day.
It’s about 12 miles each way and it not only keeps
me fit but saves me a fortune on buses and the
underground (even though I spend the money I save
on bikes and kit!). I usually ride my 700c-wheeled
hybrid as it takes a load of abuse while still being fast.
I layer up my clothing and often carry a pair of arm
warmers and lightweight rain jacket, just in case.

and reduce the nation’s carbon footprint.
That’s why they are also doing their bit to make the roads safer for
cyclists. Money has been given to cities across the UK to spend
on better road layouts for cyclists, new cycle lanes and other
improvements. London is leading the way with its soon to open
Cycle Superhighways but other cities are doing their bit too - Bristol
is spending £22m to double the numbers of cyclists on its roads. In
Europe they’ve found that more cyclists equals safer cycling so just
by getting out there on a bike you are helping make the roads safer
still. Of course it can’t hurt to brush up on your road skills. If you live
in London many boroughs offer free cycle training for adults but there
are also plenty of accredited Bikeability instructors who can give you
one to one tuition. You can find one near you via the CTC website.
Okay, it rains in Britain but not as often as you’d think, especially if
you live in the dryer eastern half of the country. It’s been calculated
that a London cycle commuter will only have to deal with rain 12
times a year – so leave the bike at home on those days, you’ll still get
most of the benefits. Chances are that once you’ve been bitten by
the bike bug you aren’t going to let a bit of rain put you off. There are
plenty of ways of staying dry on your bike anyway; mudguards and all

“...in London many
boroughs offer free cycle
training for adults...”
manner of waterproof cycle clothing. Check out pages 10 to 13 for all
the latest weather busting kit. Speaking of which, wearing Lycra, like
riding in the rain, is not compulsory - plenty of people commute in
ordinary clothes. Of course clothes made for the job will make time in
the saddle even more pleasant, but that doesn’t necessarily have to
be skin tight. There is plenty of cycle clothing aimed at urbanite riders
that want cycle-friendly clothing that works and looks good on and
off the bike and which doesn’t scream “cyclist”.

Respro Waterproof High-Viz Hump
Rucksack Cover (106122) High visibility
backpack cover to keep you seen on the
roads.

£24 .99

Endura MT500 Spray Shorts

Helly Hansen Trailwizard Jersey

Bern Watts Helmet

(123340)

(122857)

(121396)

£64.99
10 Spring 2010 / Commute

£34.99
www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

£49.99

Sweating in style, what’s
best to wear when you
ride your bike?
hat you wear when riding your bike is
totally up to you. You really don’t need
to wear any specialist clothing at all if
you don’t want to – but on anything
more than a pootle to the shops there
is likely to be some trade off in comfort if you don’t.
Basically the faster you ride the hotter you get and that
means sweat. If you want to stay comfortable you need
to be wearing clothes that can deal with the heat and the
sweat, you need technical fibres. That doesn’t mean to
say you need to get togged up like you’re going to tackle
the Tour de France. These days there are whole ranges
of technical cycling clothes from the likes of Surface and
bspoke, designed to look like normal casual clothing but
using technical fabrics cut so that they work on the bike.
That means jackets with subtly dropped tails at the back
to protect your rear end from the elements and slightly
longer sleeves so your wrists are still covered when you
are in a more stretched out position on the bike.
Hidden vents help you deal with excess heat on the move
and there is clever use of reflective detailing – so you can
wear your favourite jacket in non-cycling company and
only dazzle them with your wit! There has also been a
big upsurge in the use of natural fibres such as merino
wool and merino wool mixes for cycling tops. Merino is
very effective at wicking away sweat and is much more
odour resistant than polyester. Again, many of these
tops are designed to looks as good off the bike as on it.
For round town this sort of clothing is ideal. All that said,
Lycra still has its place. If you are riding longer distances,
particularly longer distances at pace, clothes made for
the job will increase your comfort and enjoyment of the
experience no-end. Lycra shorts give you support and
padding in all the right places. They deal with excess
heat and moisture to keep you as comfortable and dry
as possible.
Technical base
layers, jerseys
and jackets do a
similar job of
managing your
personal microclimate while
also protecting
you from the
elements and the
buffeting of the
road. That’s why
for all it’s figurehugging faults so
many cyclists still
wouldn’t leave
home without it.
Helly Hansen Multi 1/2 Zip Base Layer (123220) Great base layer
or combine with a Gilet for light weight comfort.

Gore Bike Wear Ozon Windstopper AS Jersey (122838)
Short-sleeve jersey using Windstopper fabric to keep you
warm and protected.
Suitable across a wide range of weather conditions, the Ozon jersey
is cut with a tight fit and long back, with flatlock seams. Includes
two compartment patch pockets and a small key pocket in back,
front zip with semi-lock slider, zip underflap and reflective piping
and logo.

£69.99

S, M, L, XL and XXL - Black/Red

Gore Bike Wear Oxygen SO 3/4 Bib-Shorts (123268)
An extremely stretchable new Windstopper Soft Shell that
guarantees first-class elasticity in all directions.
These windproof 3/4 length shorts help keep your knees warm on
cooler days. They feature elastic braces and offer less chafing and
more comfort due to a 4-panel seat insert. Gripper elastic on bottom
hem and a reflective logo on the upper thigh.

Heavy weight long sleeve jersey is great for cool morning starts.
• High-performance, breathable Cool Plus fabric with Grid pattern and brushed back
• Sport cut - snug but not too tight, with a long back to keep you warm

Surface Wool Jacket (123294)
Herringbone woven riding jacket designed with the urban rider in mind.
Made from ‘Aquaphobic wool’ fabric with a high neck and reversed (down to up) zips.
The arms and back are cut longer than a normal jacket for a comfort fit on the bike with
stretchy cuffs and a drawstring waist. Finished off with a high neck and storm zip flap.

£49.99

S, M, L, XL and XXL - Black

bspoke Angel Women’s Jacket
(121705)

£129.99

Pearl Izumi Superstar Women’s
Skirt (122951)

£44.99

£119.99

XS, S, M, L, XL and XXL - Grey

Casco Emotion Helmet

Nike 6.0 Air Mogan Shoes

(121165)

(123429)

£119.99

£49.99

Lock it,
Beat the bad guys with the
three rules of cycle security

don’t
lose it

ust about the only downside to cycling’s growth in popularity is that bikes
have become more popular with criminals too. While most bike crime
is opportunist there is growing evidence that organised gangs are also
turning their attention to stealing bikes.
So what can you do to beat the crimes? Well, there are three basic
rules of cycle security, the first being to get a good lock. The usual rule
of thumb is to spend 20 per cent of the price of your bike on security.
For peace of mind go for one with a Sold Secure rating (see the box below),
D-locks are better than cables but any lock is better than none – even if it’s little
more than a visual deterrent. We’ve got a full range of locks to meet all your
bike locking needs in-store. To get the best level of protection from your lock
you need to lock your bike properly – that’s the second rule of cycle security.
Always fill the shackle with as much bike as possible, because that gives thieves
less space to play with, and always put your lock through the back wheel – that
makes it harder to steal the rear derailleur too. If your commuting bike has quick
release skewers on the wheels either replace them with locking skewers or
bolts, or take the front wheel off and lock
that to the back wheel whenever you are
parking up. When you are out and about
always lock your bike to something secure
- not trees, fences or posts! Try to lock it up
where it is fairly busy – leave it somewhere
Sold Secure is an independent lock
quiet and a thief has more time to work on
testing body set up by police and
it undisturbed. Rule three is actually the
now administered by the Master
Locksmiths Association. Sold Secure
most basic of them all but it’s one
rated locks fall in to one of three
even streetwise cyclists sometimes
categories: Gold, Silver or Bronze.
forget. Never leave your bike
Gold rated locks offer the highest
unlocked and unattended for even
level of security and are designed
a moment, even if you keep it in
to withstand manual attack for 3
plain sight. You may think there’s
minutes.
no-one watching when you
Silver rated locks offer a compromise
between security and cost, they
nip in to the newsagents for a
should hold out against attack for 3
paper or some mid-ride fuel
minutes – the average amount of time
but if you’re wrong your bike
street thieves are reckoned to keep
will be gone when you get back.
trying. Silver rated locks tend to be
Lock it, it’ll take a few extra seconds
lighter than Gold ones which makes
but that is still a lot less time than it
them a touch more portable – ideal for
will take you to walk home.
commuting.
Bronze rated locks should hold out
Remember the rules, and use them, and
for one minute against the attentions
your bike will stay “your” bike.

Sold Secure

of opportunist thieves which is better
than a non-rated lock or no lock at all.

Feeling good on the bike and looking the part off
it is a balancing act. Here’s how to make sure you
pack properly for your day at the office...
The short hop:

If your commute is short enough to do it in your civvies then you don’t need to
worry too much about when you arrive at the office. If you’re tied to the bike then
it’s still worth keeping a spare shirt, socks and trousers/skirt at your desk, just in
case you misread the weather or some other calamity befalls you.

Once you get above a few miles you’ll need to think a bit more deeply. The
halfway house, if you don’t tend to arrive out of breath and sweaty, is to wear the
top half of your normal outfit under a light jacket and bung some cycling-specific
legwear on. It’s the trousers that get the most abuse, so they get ditched first. A
more energetic commute will have you wanting an outfit fully geared for riding.

Long distance:

If you’re a proper mile muncher then you’ll no doubt be in your proper riding kit
and shower when you arrive – it’s a good idea to warm down over the last mile
so you’re not still sweating when you’re drying yourself off.

There’s two basic options for kit lugging: on your bike, or on your back. If you’re
nipping in to work with just your sandwiches and a spare shirt then a backpack
or courier bag is a simple, versatile choice. Go longer and you may start to
hanker after a pannier. Okay a rack and pannier isn’t the sexiest bit of cycling kit
you’ll ever buy but in terms of load capacity, waterproofing and longevity they’re
hard to beat.

Rotating your wardrobe:

If you need to keep clothes at work then there’s an argument for taking all the
clothes you need in one go. You only have to remember once, for a start, and
most of the week you’ll be care- and luggage-free. The flip side is you need to
be a bit more organised, and you’ll have to load up on Monday and Friday –
panniers will come in handy. You’ll need somewhere to put all those clothes too.
Topeak MTX Fold Down Trunk Bag
(103598) Organised, durable ridged pannier

•I f you have
to keep your
rid ing kit by
your desk th
en it makes
sense to inve
in some natu
st
ra l fibres. A
polyester on
mer ino top
won’t be an
e af ter a day
yt hi ng like
in w ith no ac
on the office
as
pu ngent as
radiator. Si m
cess to a show
a
ila rly, if you’
er then it’s be
rich trou sers
re rid
for your wor
st to go for co
ki ng gear.
tton sh ir ts an ing
•I f you’re rid
ing to work
d
woolin the ra in th
ki nd ly to dr
en your colle
ippi ng bi b sh
ag ues may no
or ts ha ng in
spare kit an
g
t
ta
up
d a plastic ba
ke
by the w ater
g, and w ash
•Keep some
cooler. Best
your wet kit
to ta ke
newspaper
when you ge
by your desk
get wet. If yo
t
ho
to st uff in yo
me.
u su ffer from
ur rid ing sh
cheesy feet
ai rt ight to pu
oes if they
then make su
t your shoes
re you have
in if you need
•Remem be
somet hi ng
r that rid ing
to keep them
slowly enou
in the office
be ju st as qu
gh that
.
ick
•I f you are rid as a fa st ride followed by you don’t need a show
er ca n
in
a spruce up
.
doesn’t smel g fa st and there are no
workplace sh
l. So shower
owers… clea
before you se
maybe have
n sweat
t off,
a bi
need ever kn t of a spla sh in a w ash ba cool dow n when you ge
t th
ow…
si n, get chan
ged and no -o ere,
ne

he Ride2Work Scheme takes advantage of the
Government’s Green Transport Plan by supplying
employees with a new bike at around half of the retail
price! The aim of the Green Transport Plan is to make
cycling a more attractive way of commuting to work by
enabling employees to benefit from some unique tax incentives.
However, as well as being an employee benefit, employers can
also make considerable savings on their Employer’s National
Insurance Contributions.

Ride2Work takes all of this and offers it as a complete package –
from supplying the contracts and administrative support through
to expert advice on the bikes and cycling. Ride2Work offers many
post sale services, such as repairs and servicing, through the
Evans Cycles store network.
By partnering with Ride2Work a company can be confident of
receiving a complete service that enables employees to benefit
from the full advantages of the scheme and get the most out of
their cycling!

How does the Employer Benefit:
• Provide a significant tax free benefit to your staff
• No Employer NI contributions payable on the portion of salary sacrificed by employees
• Claim capital allowances against the cost of the bike
• Cycling greatly reduces your carbon footprint and promotes you as a socially

responsible and environmentally friendly employer

• Enjoy healthier, more productive staff

How does the Employee Benefit:
• Spread the cost of a new bike over the course of a year, and save the tax
• Save money – cycling is an economical and efficient method of transport
• Save time – cycling is a quick way to get from A to B
• Increase your overall level of fitness – cycling is a low impact exercise providing excellent

The Ride2Work programme makes it as simple as possible for you to enjoy the benefits

we offer in six straightforward steps:

1. Employer becomes a member of the Ride2Work Scheme
2. Employee requests a voucher for the value of goods they wish to redeem
3. Employer authorises us to issue a voucher
4. Employee’s salary sacrifice commences1
5. The voucher is dispatched to the employee
6. The employee redeems the voucher against goods in any of our stores or via our Mail
18 Spring 2010 / Commute

Order service
www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

Advantages of Ride2Work
• Evans Cycles is the UK’s largest Independent bicycle retailer with stores nationwide.
• Price Promise – we guarantee not to be beaten on price
• You may further benefit from our extensive range of sale items and promotional offers
• Evans Cycles has the largest range of bicycles and accessories in the UK
• Free delivery Nationwide
• No Administration Fees
• Full Service Provider – We deal with every aspect of the scheme meaning you have consistent customer service and a single point

of contact throughout

• Dedicated support Hotline to deal with any queries that you or your employees may have

Ride2Work savings illustration:
Here is a typical example to illustrate the savings under
the Ride2Work scheme. Actual savings will depend on
personal circumstances and rate of tax.

Bicycle and accessory purchase:
Commuting Bike

£ 500.00

Other accessories

£ 200.00

Total price before savings:

£ 700.00

Net cost (Without VAT)

£ 595.74

Savings via Ride2Work:
Income tax saving

£ 238.30

National insurance saving

£

Total effective cost:

£ 351.48

Total saving

£ 348.52 ... or 49.79%

Effective monthly cost

£ 29.29

5.96

Savings based upon a higher rate tax payer

To see how much you could save use
our personal savings calculator at:
www.ride2work.co.uk

How Do I Join?
Taking part in the Ride2Work scheme is simple. All UK companies are eligible.
In order to register, a company should complete and sign our application
form and return it to us.2 Once we receive this we will set up your account
and issue a membership pack containing all the resources you will need to
implement the scheme in your organisation. This application form is available
online at www.ride2work.co.uk.

01293 572 325 / www.ride2work.co.uk
1
The start of the salary sacrifice is governed by your employer. Your salary sacrifice will usually commence in the first pay period after you have received
your voucher. 2This form must be authorised by an appropriate person in your organisation. This is usually an HR or Finance manager and will need to be
someone able to make financial decisions on behalf of your company.

n
i
o
G
the distance

20 Spring 2010 / Road

www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

g
n

Make this the year you spread
your wings and challenge
yourself to ride further!
t’s a great feeling. The computer ticks relentlessly on, and
with every mile you’re setting yourself a new benchmark:
the furthest you’ve ever ridden. It doesn’t matter if it’s
12 miles or 112, the sense of achievement is just as
real. You’ve challenged yourself, and you’ve risen to the
challenge.
Now’s the time to plan for that big ride. You could just go
out and ride... and ride and ride until you’ve bagged a new best,
but if your legs start to turn to mush and you’re a long way from
home you’ll be glad of a few encouraging words and a kindly
wheel to sit on to shelter from the wind until you get your breath
back. Riding in a group can save you between 15% and 40% of
your effort over going it alone, and the bigger the group the less

“Riding in a group can
save you between 15 and
40 percent of your effort
over going it alone...”
time you have to spend at the front! So if you’re looking to do a
longer ride than ever before then an organised event is a great
place to do it.
Not so long ago all mass-start distance cycling events had a
single name: Audax. From the Latin for ‘courageous’, Audax rides
are all about self sufficiency: riders are expected to navigate the
route by themselves and take everything they need with them.
If you want to do a really long ride then the Paris-Brest-Paris, a
1,200km round trip with a 90-hour limit, is the oldest regularly
run cycling event, it’s been going since 1891 and it’s legendary
toughness and large field means that it only takes place every two
years.
In the last few years the focus for big organised rides in the UK

has shifted towards sportives. Unlike Audax rides sportives
usually have waymarked routes and often a choice of routes and
distance too. Many use electronic timing systems to give you an
exact finishing time and they’re usually much bigger than Audax
rides too, with the larger events attracting thousands of riders.
There’s usually no need to constantly refer to a map and frequent
feed stations mean you don’t have to carry as much food and
gear. Sportives have made distance riding much more accessible
to a lot more people – so why not give it a go? Here at Evans we
reckon that once you’ve tried a sportive you’ll be hooked, and to

Scott Speedster S20 Triple ‘10 (128636)

22 Spring 2010 / Road

£1099.99

£39.99

make it even easier for you to try we’ve set up our own series of
events: Ride It!
From London to the Lake District, you’re sure to find a Ride It!
event near you. The sportives have been specifically designed
to both encourage novice riders and challenge the more
experienced. Never done a big road ride before? Don’t worry!
The fun route at each event is only around 12 miles, and it costs
just a fiver to enter. The fun rides take place on quiet roads with
very little climbing, so they’re perfect for families too. We’ll have
qualified Evans mechanics on hand to give your bike the once

Bianchi C2C Infinito Athena ‘10 (125317)

www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

£2523.99

then these rides are a great excuse to try out a new machine from
our demo fleet. There’s a £35 charge for using a bike but you’ll get
that back as a voucher that you can redeem against any new bike
from Evans. All three longer distances cost just £11 to enter in
advance, less than half the price of most sportives.

“However you choose to
push yourself this year,
we’re here to support you
all the way!”

over, and it doesn’t matter what you’re riding: we’ve seen all sorts
of bikes make it round, believe us!
If you’re looking for a bit more of a challenge then there’s a
short route of about 30 miles to try. All of our routes are fully
waymarked and you’ll be provided with a backup map courtesy
of our friends at Memory Map – just in case. There’s feed stops
stocked with SIS energy products, and on top of that you can try
out a huge range of Gore Bike Wear clothing on your ride for free!
More experienced riders will be looking to the longer distances,
normally 60 and 90 miles. If you’re thinking of upgrading your bike

Trek 2.3 Triple ‘10 (126098)

£1199.99

For some even a 90-miler isn’t enough of a test, and that’s why
we created our own super-sportive, the King of the Downs (May
23rd). At 113 miles and featuring 10 killer climbs with over 2,700m
of height gain it’s our hardest ride and not for the faint hearted.
There’s a 56-mile option too with half the climbs, if you think the
full route will be a bit much. The King of the Downs is a bit more
expensive than our usual Ride It! events at £25 per person, but
that includes a goody bag worth £11 and free entry on the day
to a Ride It! event of your choice – worth another £12.50. You get
vehicle support and a broom wagon – hopefully you won’t need
it – and free tea and pasta at the finish too. You’ll need that!
How you train for your big ride will depend on what challenge you
set yourself. You may just need to commit to a few more rides in
to work – see page 4 for more on that – or you may want to plan
your path to fitness in more detail. A six week fitness programme
on page 28 will give you some pointers on more structured
training. For details of our series of Ride It! events see pages 50
and 51 and find an event near to you.
However you choose to push yourself this year, we’re here to
support you all the way!

Specialized Secteur ‘10 (126023)

£549.99

Gore Bike Wear Motion Jersey
(122842)

Altura Airstream Jersey (123300)

Quality jersey with Cooling and
Venting technology for balanced
moisture management.
• Slim fit, long back and mesh
inserts under arms for ventilation
• 3 pockets in back, slightly slanted
at side for better access

A multi-panel, full featured
jersey, ideal for all types of
riding.
• High wicking, quick-dry fabric in
a close fitting design
• Long front zip, 3 rear pockets and
silicone hem grippers

Sportive bike
vs road bike
Spot the difference! How to tell
a sportive bike from a road bike.
portive bikes are a fairly new
phenomenon, at least in name. In reality
they’re a combination of elements
from different types of machine. Their
looks come from the road racing scene
but in terms of geometry they tend to be closer
to Audax bikes, with a taller head tube and
shorter top tube giving a more
upright riding position. It’s not
quite so aerodynamic as a race
bike but for long rides that more
comfortable position is going to
give a greater performance benefit
so it’s a trade-off worth making.
Comfort also comes in to play
in other aspects of the design:
many sportive bikes have longer
chainstays or softer forks than
their road cousins to better soak
up road buzz, and some have
vibration damping inserts in the
frame or seat post. Shallow drop
handlebars give an extra hand
position that’s more accessible,
and you get a wider range of gears
Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105
– often a triple chainset or bigger
Triple ‘10 (128821) Ideal for long days in the
saddle with relaxed angles and forgiving
cogs at the back – for those endcarbon. £1799.99
of-the-ride climbs.

Pinnacle Aura Flight Women’s ‘10 (129720)

£549.99

Specialized Dolce Sport Women’s ‘10 (126033)

£679.99

You want to get fitter?
That’s great news. So, how
do you do it? That’s where
we come in…
f you want to stay on track, the first thing you need
is a target – something specific to aim for. And set
yourself a time limit – pick your date, write it on the
calendar and commit to it.
Here, we’re going to use two examples. First,
there’s our beginner’s plan that’s aimed at
completing a 40-mile ride within six weeks.
Second, we’ve got an intermediate plan for someone with
a bit more cycling experience who wants to do a 60-mile
ride within six weeks. The most important thing in both is
to build up the length of your weekly long ride gradually so
that your body can adapt and be ready for the demands of
your big day.
Aiming for one of the Ride it! events (www.evanscycles.
com/ride-it) is perfect because then you’ve got an
immoveable target to focus on. Whatever you choose,
keep it realistic. You want something that’s going to
challenge you and keep you interested. Set the bar at an

get
fit in
6 weeks

unattainable height and you’ll lose enthusiasm.
Fit your bike with a computer to track your speed and
distance. It will help keep you motivated too because it
allows you to gauge your progress. And if you want to
take your training to the next level, get yourself a heart rate
monitor. By telling you exactly how hard you’re working,
it allows you to fine-tune your training for the maximum
amount of fitness in the shortest amount of time.
If you’re not used to regular exercise, get the go-ahead
from your GP before starting on any sort of training
programme, and get any niggles that develop checked out
by a professional. Good luck!

Week 1

Beginner:
Aim for two rides a week: a fairly short ride in midweek and
a longer ride at the weekend. Ride for 45mins in the week,
focusing on turning your legs quickly (80+ revolutions per
minute), and practise drinking on the go – it gets more
important as the weeks go on. Make your first weekend
ride 15 miles long and as flat as possible – you’re getting
used to being in the saddle as much as anything. Do both
rides at a light to moderate level of effort – your breathing
28 Spring 2010 / Road

should be easy and you should be able to hold a conversation
without gasping. Feel free to add other rides if you like, but
keep the intensity low.
Intermediate:
Aim for three rides a week, including a longer ride at the
weekend. Follow the advice for beginners (above) but make
your first weekend ride 25 miles. Add an extra 60min ride in
the week that includes 10mins of hard but still controlled work.

Week 2
Looking for an extra challenge?
Taking place on Sunday the 23rd of May,
the 113 mile challenge takes in over 10
killer climbs in the South East’s iconic road
cycling areas totalling over 9,000 ft!
For those looking for a shorter (but just as
tough) challenge there’s the 56 mile half
sportive option.
Limited entries available:

www.evanscycles.com/ride-it

“Fit your
bike with a
computer to
track your
speed and
distance.”

CatEye Strada 8 Wireless Computer
(104038)

£44.99

Beginner:
Ride 45-60mins in the week, spinning easily in a low gear.
Increase your longer weekend ride to 20 miles but keep the
intensity low. Concentrate on controlling your effort on any hills
– change down through the gears and back off – so that you
get used to climbing without steam coming out of your ears.
Intermediate:
Follow the beginner’s advice but increase your weekend
ride to 30 miles. Include a 15min section of hard work in an
additional 60min midweek ride.

Week 3

Beginner:
Make your mid-week ride 60mins long – take in some hills
and ride them at a moderate effort so that you’re breathing
fairly hard. Make your long ride 25 miles this week at a light to
moderate intensity. Go a little harder on the hills but stay at a
level that you can sustain without going into overdrive.

Suunto T3D Heart Rate Monitor
& Cycling Pack (130928)

£154.99

Polar CS200cad Computer & Heart
Rate (104067)

£112.49

Intermediate:
Do the training we’ve suggested for beginners but increase
the length of your long ride to 35 miles. Also, add a 60min
ride in the week that includes 20mins where you’re breathing
hard.

Week 4

Beginner:
Most serious cyclists have an easier week about once a
month so they can absorb their training. You’re due one
now so keep the intensity as low as possible on your 60min
midweek ride. Drop the length of your weekend ride down to
15-20 miles and keep your breathing at a conversational level
throughout.
Intermediate:
Do the beginner’s rides (above), dropping the length of your
long ride down to 25-30 miles. Take your additional ride in the
week down to 45mins and pedal as easy as you like.

Week 5

Beginner:
Concentrate on staying relaxed on your 60min hilly midweek
ride. Increase the distance of your longer weekend ride to 30
miles, mostly at a light to moderate pace but pushing a little
harder on the climbs.
Intermediate:
Follow the beginner’s advice but increase your weekend ride
to 40 miles. Add an extra 60min ride in the week that includes
a 30min block of hard riding where any conversation has to
be limited to simple sentences.

Eat/
drink/
sleep
well

xercise won’t make you fitter. Huh? Okay, let’s qualify that:
exercise on its own won’t make you fitter. You need to
make sure you recover properly between rides if you’re
going to improve your speed and endurance, and that
means getting enough rest and paying attention to your
food and drink.
The amount of time you need to leave between rides depends on
loads of different things including your level of fitness and how hard
you cycle, but bear in mind that you’re trying to push yourself slightly,
then recover fully… It’s a gradual process. You don’t want to batter
yourself into the ground on every ride and then head out on next one
still aching.
And certainly give yourself more sleep after riding – it’s the time
when your body does its most valuable
repairs. You’re aiming to get up feeling
refreshed and ready to go, not groggy
and in need of a jumpstart.
You don’t need to start eating
tons of pasta to fuel your cycling.
A straightforward, balanced diet
containing all the major food groups
will give you everything you need.
You’ll need to drink more water though,
to replace the fluid you use up –
anywhere from 400m to 900ml extra
for every hour you spend in the saddle.

Week 6

Beginner:
Keep your 60min midweek ride nice and easy – you can’t add
fitness at this stage so you’re trying to conserve the fuel in
your muscles and avoid fatigue. It’s time for your goal event:
ride it conservatively to begin with and drink plenty from
the off. If you feel you’ve got plenty of energy in the bank,
increase your intensity gradually from halfway.
Intermediate:
As well as the beginner’s rides, do an extra 60min ride in the
week where you take any climbs as easily as possible. Make
sure you drink plenty on your big ride and, most of all, enjoy it.
30 Spring 2010 / Road

Complex carbohydrate energy
fuel specially formulated to
support sustained sporting
performance.
• Contains maltodextrin and
fructose that work together to feed
your body
• Easily digested and designed to be
light on the stomach
2.7kg - Orange, Blackcurrant or Lemon

road
components
Best, Better, Blingest...
hen you buy a new bike you’ll probably be in
love with it and happy with everything about
it, but eventually the more you ride it the more
you’ll start to notice things that you’d like to
change. Maybe the bars are a bit narrow or
the stem too short. Perhaps a change of wheels would have you
flying up the climbs just that bit faster, or the shifts from the rear
mech are not quite as instant as you’d like. It could be that the
type of riding you’re doing on the bike is changing and you want
to add some extra kit. Welcome to the wonderful world of bike
fettling! You can replace pretty much anything that’s bolted on
to your bike with the right tools, or you can drop in to your local
Evans store to have a Cytech-qualified mechanic do it for you. It’s
not just about bling or shedding weight, although those are fine
by us. Upgrading your bike will improve your riding experience,
giving you a personalised machine that’s an exact fit for you and
the type of riding you do. A bike straight off the bike shop rack will
be the same as hundreds of others and it will do it well, but your
custom steed is one of a kind, put together especially for you
to do what you want perfectly. Wheels are usually the most
cost-effective upgrade in terms of performance gain.
A lighter wheelset can transform the feel of your

“Upgrading your bike
will improve your riding
experience, giving you a
personalised machine...”
bike, especially when mated with a good quality, supple
tyre and tube. Elsewhere gains are more incremental,
but tweaking your ride position with different bars, stem or
saddle can improve on-bike comfort no end. If you’re moving
into triathlon or time trialling then a set of aero bars should be
top of your shopping list – they can save you a minute over 10
miles – and power meters are a useful tool if you like the numbers
side of cycling.
32 Spring 2010 / Road

Ritchey Pro 4 Axis 44 Road Stem

SRAM Force Rear Derailleur

(119951)

(102132)

£45.99

www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

£94.49

Fulcrum Racing 3 Wheelset
(101334)

£449.99

Look Keo 2 Max Carbon Clipless
Pedals (120393)

£121.99

CycleOps PowerTap Elite+ Power
System (104223)

£699.99

Bontrager Race X Lite Aero Bar
(101920)

£119.99

you

We want

Your chance to test the latest
bikes and kit and win £250!
f you’re anything like us when it comes to buying a bike
or any other cycling product you like to do your research,
checking web and magazine reviews and asking friends for
their opinions on which bike, wheel, jacket, suspension fork or
glove is most deserving of your hard-earned cash. When you
are weighing up your options a good, honest, unbiased review
is worth its weight in gold, cutting through all opinion and
conjecture to give you just the information and advice you need.
Who better to do these reviews than you, our customers. That’s
why we are putting together the “Ride It & Rate It Customer Test
Team” - we value your opinion and we think other customers will
too. Each month we will be sending out some great new product
to selected reviewers to Ride & Rate. If you think you know your
way around bikes and cycling kit and can give it to us straight
about how they perform out in the ‘real world’, we want to hear
from you.
To join our test team all you need to do is post a product review
on the Evans Cycles website. It’s a simple three-step process and
you don’t even have to have bought the product you review from
us either…
Step 1
Go to the product page for the item you want to review at
www.evanscycles.com and click on the ‘write a review’ link
Step 2
Log in to the website or register if you don’t have an account
Step 3
Write your review!

www.evanscycles.com/reviews
34 Spring 2010

www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

We sent Paul a BMC Race Master SLX01
road bike to test and this is what he had to say...

BMC Race Master
SLX01 ‘10 (129478)

£2499.99

BMC Race Master SLX01
Date: 05 March 2010

Horta

Having not been on a bike for years I thought my OH would struggle but I
got this bike for him about a year ago and (even with the recent weather)
it’s been comfortable and reliable and is used all the time This is my first
foray into the world of high end bikes. I have over 30 years of bike riding
behind me, racing, touring, commuting and the odd world record! In that
time I’ve never ridden such an inspiring bike.
Before I talk about the bike, I have to mention Evans’ service. The bike
turned up ready to roll, just needed to turn the handlebars around, raise
the seat post and stick my pedals on. Brakes and gears worked perfectly
from the get-go, which is exactly what you want. You even get an owners
manual, multi-tool, pedal wrench, even a set of lights and the mandatory bell and reflectors! Well
done Evans, when spending his amount of money the little extras help with the feel good factor.
Brought up on classic steel frames, the look at first is a little “out there”, but in the flesh it’s beautiful
in the way that a F1 car is beautiful. You can see it’s designed for one thing, going fast.
The frame uses carbon and aluminimum in its construction. The top half, fork and seat post are
carbon, with Ali for the rest. The cables are hidden, which I’ve always liked and doesn’t seem to
affect performance. The rear triangle is a tight affair that tucks the rear wheel in, which hints at good
climbing. The “tubes” are a complex combination of shapes, the most notable being the T section
top tube, which I still can’t quite work out how it attaches to the seat tube!
In fact winter riding could be its one downfall. Those wonderfully shaped carbon and aluminimum
tubes host a variety of little hiding places for road crud and for an old school rider like me, you can’t
let a bike this good get dirty. So if you do ride it in the wet, please, for my sake keep it clean!
Once out on the road the first thing you notice is the stiffness, the bike wants to accelerate. During
the ride I often found myself jumping out of the saddle, just because it felt so good! Yet it wasn’t stiff
in a beat you up kind of way. Heading down a smooth hairpin descent put a big grin on my face, the
bike flew into the corners and felt solid despite it’s low weight.
Climbing was fun again, I could pretend I was race fit! A combination of the bikes low weight and
stiffness had me climbing in the saddle, even though I’ve got used to a compact chainset. In fact I
even managed roll the 53 over and get some speed out of my legs, not bad for the middle of winter!
Overall weight is somewhere around 17-18lbs, I only have the wii to weigh things this big and I don’t
know how accurate that is, but it is light. And light without any ridiculously expensive kit on it.
The bike comes with Ultegra 10 speed, which performs faultlessly. This is the new version, which
now has all the cables hidden beneath the bars, for a cleaner look. The hoods have a new shape,
that, combined with the Scor handlebars, produced a very comfortable area to rest your hands on.
Unfortunately I found the shape of the drops a bit too sloping for my liking, but as I tend to do all my
riding on the hoods or tops, this wasn’t an issue.
The seat post is a nifty affair. Oval in section, it uses a wedge at the bottom of the post, that is
tightened by a bolt at the top end, like an old style quill stem, anybody remember them? Oh and it’s
light!. Great value for money and definitely worth investing in.

So if you want to help fellow cyclists make the best choices of bikes
and kit now’s your chance. Ride it and Rate it!

eerid

e

Richard Warren is

www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

Specialized S-Works MTB
Team Helmet (121546)

ost people don’t start out in mountain biking
with a £2,000 bike. That’s a lot to spend
on something that you’re not sure whether
you’ll enjoy using. No, nearly every mountain
biker got started on something considerably
cheaper – off-road capable bikes start at around £400, and
plenty of people took their first forays on to the trails on bikes
even cheaper than that.
You may not even realize that you’re going to become a
mountain biker when you get that first bike - plenty of people
buy MTBs for commuting or just getting around, then head
off-road on a whim and become hooked. Regardless of your
intentions when you get that first mountain bike, eventually
you’re going to feel the need for a newer and more expensive
one. There are two strands to this. The first is the march of bike
technology. Mountain bikes have come a long way in thirty
years. Current models pack several inches of suspension travel
at both ends, hydraulic disc brakes and an enormous gear

range in a package that weighs considerably less than the original
bikes. And just when you think that no further improvements are
possible, bikes get lighter, stiffer and more efficient. This applies
at all levels – if you bought an entry-level MTB a few years back,
the equivalent model today will be better in every way. However,
it’s worth remembering that the bike you’ve got won’t actually
have got any worse (assuming you’ve looked after it!). The second
strand is your own progress as a rider. The more you ride, the
better – and more confident – you get. Your initial forays may be
along towpaths or wide forest tracks, but it won’t be long before
you’re seeking out steeper, narrower, twistier and rougher trails.
Regardless of how it comes about, after a while you’ll be riding
faster, harder and longer and starting to find the limits of your
entry-level bike. The brakes that seemed fine around town begin
to feel lacking on a rocky 1-in-3, the forks that took the sting out
of potholes start to twist, bend and bind, towpath-friendly tyres
struggle for grip.
Both strands came together for Evans customer Richard Warren.

£1999.99

Richard spent a relatively extravagant £500 on his first bike,
having joined a ride with friends on a borrowed bike. Now, two

“...when you think that no
further improvements are
possible, bikes get lighter,
stiffer and more efficient.”
years later, his skills have developed, his entry-level hardtail is
battered and worn and he’s just taken delivery of a shiny new fullsuspension bike…

Q&A

What was wrong with your old bike, anyway?
Fundamentally not much – everything worked OK, although it
was getting a bit tired. It would have needed a couple of hundred
quid spending on it to get it back to “as new” performance. But
in the time I’ve had it I’ve started to outpace it, so it made more
sense to put the money towards a whole new, better, bike.

An obvious example would be the fork. When I started out on
the old bike, the suspension on it felt pretty good – I’d never had
a bike with suspension before, so it was a whole new comfort
experience. But as I’ve got faster and started tackling rougher
trails, the fork’s starting to feel that it’s holding me back. A lot
of the time it just feels too bouncy and makes me back off. And
even though I’ve lost a load of weight, I can still feel the fork
bending and twisting.

Why not just upgrade the fork?
I thought about it, but I couldn’t get my head around putting a
£400 fork on a slightly tatty £500 bike. Maybe if that was the only
thing, but it’s not – the brakes weren’t filling me with confidence
any longer either. Then there was that Peak District trip…

A windproof soft shell jacket
for all ambitious female
riders.
• Converts to a functional jersey
or vest for all-weather use
• Slim fit with full length zip
and semi-lock slider

That’s all extra weight,
though, surely?

So you’re pretty pleased, then?

£119.99

“This applies at all levels,
if you bought an entrylevel MTB a few years
back, the equivalent
model today will be
better in every way.”
38 Spring 2010 / Mountain

Oh yes. A couple of my mates
were on full suspension bikes
and made it look easy. Plus
which, they could actually walk
at the end of the day, while
I’d definitely taken a beating.
Suddenly a bit of bounce at the
back end too seemed like a
really good idea.

That’s what I thought. But I’ve
spent a fair bit more money
than on my first bike, and that buys lighter bits. Even with the
rear shock and stuff it’s a lighter bike than my old one, and it
feels much livelier on the trail.

Gore Bike Wear Phantom
SO Lady L/S Jersey (123374)

34, 36, 38, 40 and 42 - Blue

“My new
bike is
lighter,
faster and
better
look ing.”

Very pleased. My new bike is lighter, faster and better looking. If
I take into account the money that I would have spent on the old
one to get it sorted out, it didn’t even cost all that much. But the
main thing is that I’m nowhere near the limits of this bike, and
that makes me want to ride more…

One of the many joys of mountain biking is the
opportunity to tweak and adapt your bike for your needs
here are lots of different bikes, all suited to
different things, but even that can’t match the
diversity of riders and terrain out there. MTBs
are easy to work on – most things just bolt on,
so with fairly simple tools it’s easy to swap parts
for ones that suit your needs better. or ones that you just
like the look of…
If you’ve got a mid-to-high-end bike then it’s unlikely that
anything will need changing on functional grounds. You
may wish to tweak the fit with a shorter stem, different
bars or seat post, but it’s generally not worth changing
transmission parts until things start to wear out. Bear in
mind, though, that there’s a healthy market for lightly-used
bike parts, so if something’s not to your taste it may well

be worth changing it while it still has some value. This is
particularly true of suspension forks.
Wheels and tyres are popular candidates for upgrading,
offering plenty of scope to either shed weight for livelier
performance or increase strength if you’re heading for
rocky areas. As time goes on, you may wish to upgrade
suspension for more adjustability, while any own-brand
components on a bike are often targeted for replacement
quite early on. Carbon fibre bars or seat posts are a good
bet for saving some weight without compromising strength.
With a bit of thought, you can end up with a bike that’s
uniquely yours, perfectly adapted to the trails you ride and
how you ride them. And if it happens to look good too, well,
that’s a bonus…

Avid Elixir CR Carbon Disc Brake (120358)
The Elixir you run if only the very best will do.
• TaperBore Technology and tool free reach adjustment in a beautiful finish
• 2-piece hydraulic caliper with an adjustable banjo and top loading pads
160mm front or rear - Onyx Black

Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 3
Suspension Fork (100948)
Redesigned both in and outside
- stronger, cooler and more
performing then ever!
• New lowers and crown to survive
the most radical events all over
the world
• Inside the right leg is hidden a new
open bath rebound valve
100mm travel - Black

t
u
o
y
A da
on the trails
hile it’s perfectly possible to head out
for a mountain bike ride in running
shorts, t-shirt and trainers, having the
right kit will make things a lot more
comfortable, and, of course, safer.
You can cover a lot of ground by bike and if something
goes wrong you can be stranded a long way from base.
It makes sense to equip yourself for the more common
mishaps.
A helmet is essential for riding off-road – twisty trails
in the woods mean you’re almost certain to fall off
occasionally, and if you ever plan to take part in an MTB
event, helmets are usually compulsory. There’s a natural
instinct to break a fall with your hands, so gloves are a
good idea too. A lightweight, full-fingered pair will usually
be suitable for most of the year.
There’s an enormous range of bike clothing available,
but you don’t need a whole wardrobe when you’re

“...having the right kit
will make things a lot
more comfortable...”
starting out. A pair of baggy shorts with a padded liner
will offer both comfort and café-friendly looks. A jersey
made of a modern wicking fabric will keep sweat at bay
where a cotton t-shirt would turn into a soggy, clingy,
cold and chafing rag.
A lightweight packable jacket is a good idea. You may
feel warm when you’re exerting yourself, but it doesn’t
take much of a stop (or some wind or rain) to bring a
chill on. It’s also worth considering eyewear – bits of grit
or low branches in the eyes are no fun at all. Yellow or
orange lenses are more versatile than dark tinted ones,
which tend to be too dark under trees or in anything
other than bright sunlight.
You should also equip yourself to fix any mechanical
issues that may arise with your bike. That means at least
a multi-tool, a spare inner tube and a pump. You may
wish to add tyre levers, spare chain links and the like.
And of course you’ll need to carry some water and a bit
of food, plus a map if you’re out in the wilds.
All of which means that you’ll need something to put all
this stuff in. A hydration pack is the obvious choice,
taking care of water carrying and having space for
all your other essentials in one go.

Endura Singletrack Women’s
Shorts (122818)

£44.99
44 Spring 2010 / Mountain

www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

Altura Summit Shorts
(122812)

£54.99

Icebreaker Chase Zip Women’s
Top (123386)
Make the most of the outdoors
without compromising on
comfort and style.
• Designed to reduce chafing,
increase ventilation and give ease
of movement
• Merino fibre fabric has the
ability to expel odours and release
moisture
XS, S, M, L and XL - Pewter

descending t
ip
• Stay off the fro
nt brake. If yo
u wa sh out
at the front yo
u’l l be in the un
derg rowt h
before you kn
ow it.
• Keep your we
ight as fa r back
as
possible. It’s a
good idea to dr
op your
sadd le for a lon
g descent as it
makes
sh ift ing your we
ight back a lot
ea sier.

• Keep your ey
es on the line
you wa nt to
ride. If you conc
entrate on a ro
ck or tree,
you’l l end up rid
ing into it.
• Watch out for
off ca m ber sect
ion s. If
you’re un su re
of your line, aim
uphi ll. If
you come off yo
u’l l ju st fa ll in
to the ba nk,
rather than do
wn the slope.
• Did we mentio
n the front brak
e? Leave
it alone!

Saris Bones 3-Bike Car Rack (120850)
More than just a car rack, Bones is a
statement of style.

£109.99

£59.99

“A hydration pack is
the obvious choice,
taking care of water
carrying and having
space for all your other
essentials in one go.”
www.evanscycles.com / 01293 574 900

Specialized Motodiva Women’s
MTB Shoes (123633)

£99.99

Getttheirne g
ou’re ready to ride, but where to go? If you’re lucky,
you live somewhere with great trails from your door,
or at least only a short ride away. Even if you don’t
think that’s the case, it’s always worth getting out and
exploring – you may be surprised. If you’re planning
to ride all day, an hour of road riding each way isn’t too much.
If nothing shows up, though, you’ll have to travel. It’s nice to think
that you could access great riding with public transport, and in
some cases that’ll work. It’s far from guaranteed, though, and the
likelihood is that you’ll end up relying on a car to get to the start of
your ride.
That means that you’ll need to figure out how to carry your bike.
You can of course just stick it in the boot, which doesn’t cost
anything and is as secure as it gets if you need to leave your car
unattended in the services. The downside is that you’ll probably
have to fiddle around folding seats and taking your bike apart to
get it in, and risk mud and oil all over the upholstery on the way
home. Plus, if you’re in a group, losing seats means using more
cars. So, there’s a lot to be said for getting the bikes out of the car.
Boot racks are simple, inexpensive and will fit pretty much any car,
but they need a bit of care when fitting and loading or they can
be unstable. They’re also not hard to steal, bikes and all, so if you
are using one factor in some security equipment as well such as

There’s few
th ings more
satisfy ing
than ta ki ng
your bi ke an
d spendi ng
a bit of time
ge
tt
ing it ru nn in
and a few ot
clockwork.
g like
her essent ia
A decent se
ls is enough
know your bi
t of al len ke
to star t you
ke better yo
ys
off. As you ge
u may w ant
a bit more m
t to
to spend a bi
oney – on yo
t more time
ur home wor
invest ment
– and
kshop. A wor
at a st roke it
ksta nd is a gr
makes worki
ea sier, as do
eat
ng on your bi
es a bi ke mai
ke a whole lo
ntenance m
the more di
t
anua l, and m
fficu lt jobs ca
ore specific
n be bought
gett ing dow
tools for
as and when
n and di rt y
you need th
doesn’t float
to your loca
em. If
your boat th
l Ev an s stor
en
e
ju
w
st head on do
here we have
ready and w
aiting to get
wn
Cy tech-q ua
your bi ke ba
lified mecha
ck to its very
nics
best!

Feedback Sports ProUltralight Repair Stand (103365)
Designed for racers/
mechanics who need a proquality stand that packs as
small as possible.
• Made from anodised aluminium
and weighing in at a feathery 10.6
pounds
• The stand telescopes from 36” to
58” tall via a quick-release lever

£199.99

•

Base-mounted pressure gauge
takes the guess-work out of
pumping

•

Twin valve-head changes
between schrader and presta
valves at the flick of a switch

Affordable track pump that combines power, durability and value for money.
A hardened steel base and steel barrel provides a sturdy platform for smooth, rapid
inflation whilst the twin valve-head changes between schrader and presta valves at the
flick of a switch. An analogue, base-mounted pressure gauge takes the guess-work out
of pumping and maximum pressure capacity is 160psi.

Muc-Off Cleaner Refill (1 Litre)

IceToolz Pro Shop Chain Tool

Book: Basic Maintenance & Repair

(103430)

(103268)

(104245)

£6.99

£19.99

£32.99

£7.99

Book: Zinn & The Art Of MTB
Maintenance (104299)

£17.99

,
e
k
i
b
a
t
o
g
e
v
You’

now Ride It!

Saturdays are for mud worshipers with a mountain bike ride,
Sundays are for tarmac lovers with a sportive road ride.
Ride It! is a great value day out for everyone.
There is one entry fee for all ride and route
options (with the exception of the discounted fun
road route adult entry).

Every Ride It! event includes:

The entry fee covers one ride only. If you wish to
ride both the off-road and road rides two entry
fees must be paid for.

Special prices are available at certain rides (Night
Rides, King of the Downs, TCR Show Ride It!) - see
the relevant event page for entry fees.
Kids ride FREE!
We’re passionate about cycling and enjoy
nothing more than instilling that passion in
younger riders. That’s why all kids under 16 years
of age ride free when accompanied by a paying
adult - a great value day out for the whole family!

Mechanical Support
SIS Drink Stations
Demo Bikes
As if taking in some of the best riding the UK has to offer wasn’t enough!
Evans Cycles gives you the opportunity to try out a selection of brand
new cutting edge bikes from the cycle industry’s leading manufacturers
at selected events. To find out which demo bikes are available you need
to visit the event page for the Ride It! you want to attend.

Gore Bike Wear
‘try before you buy’
GORE BIKE WEAR™ is the official clothing provider for the Evans
Cycles Ride It! series and will be offering you the chance to use their
latest products for FREE! with the ‘Try Before You Buy’ service at every
Ride It! event!

“I mu st say this was
a fantast ic experie
nce and I had a
smi le on my face
all the way rou nd
the cou rse.”
Stephen Man n /
Med ium
Off-Road Route

/ Great Missende

n

“After a running injury I decided to get on the bike - since
then the running shoes have been gathering dust!”
Gavin Lawrence / Medium Off-Road Route / Brighton

We want to make your experience with us better,
whether this is in-store, online or through the
catalogue. As you’ve hopefully seen, we’re evolving
the catalogue and want to ensure we’re giving
you content and information that is relevant and
genuinely useful.
We are really interested in what you ride and how
you ride it, so if you’re able to spare 5 minutes of your
time we’d love for you to take our survey. In return
we’ll give you the chance to win some great prizes
and every person that fills in the survey will get 10%
off their next purchase. (We promise this isn’t just
another excuse to send you more stuff!)

RideIt!_spring

RideIt! for spring 2010 is the latest catalogue I put together for Evans Cycles. The catalogue itself has evolved into what is now a magalogue with a mix of both product and magazine style features - we are able to offer buying advice, guidance and tell more of a story which hopefully allows us to engage with our customers a bit more. One of the most enjoyable parts of producing the magalogue is seeing the rough pages come to life when the imagery is dropped into place - having the vision is one thing but without a great photographer being able to see that with you, you definitely won't be getting the results you are after. Thanks to Geoff Waugh the shots came out perfect. The commuting section was shot in London near the Borough Market and London Bridge whereas the road and mountain sections were both shot in the South of Spain (we would never have been able to fake spring here in the UK at the time of the shoot, man it’s been a shite winter).